The Zune HD goes on sale today, and the firmware for the new device should be available by the time you read this (initial devices were shipped without the needed firmware, making them all but useless until hooked up to a PC). Hopes that Microsoft might offer support for the Mac or for Linux machines didn't pan out (and were always a long shot), but the Zune does have a few slick tricks up its sleeve. Let's run them down in preparation for our full review later today:

3.3 inch OLED screen: Sure, we knew all about it, but how does it look? With a unit in our grubby little hands, we can confidently say it looks pretty damn good. Colors are saturated and the screen is terrifically bright—so much so that even my dad (!) commented on it after seeing the device begin playing its demo movie. Resolution is 480 by 272, and the Zune HD features an accelerometer this time in order to do automatic screen rotation. The screen is driven by NVIDIA's high-def, low power Tegra chip.

Apps: Yes, apps are coming to the Zune, but in a limited way. Here's how Microsoft puts it: "Simply go to the apps catalog and select the ones you want and sync them to the device. Zune apps are free. We are introducing a handful of new and updated casual games, along with a select group of utility apps, such as weather and calculator. These first apps for Zune HD are an introduction of what will be an ever growing library."

Sounds neat, and should add a good bit of utility to the device, especially if Microsoft rolls out a competent e-mail reader (a Web browser is built into the operating system). But it's also clear there will be no third-party app ecosystem—probably a wise choice, given Microsoft's small market share here and the wide range of competing smartphone platforms and portable game devices, each with their own app stores and developer ecosystems.

Size: The Zune HD is much smaller than expected from pictures—significantly smaller than either an iPhone or an earlier hard-drive Zunes. In fact, it's half the depth of the earlier hard-drive Zunes. It's larger than the iPod nano and the earlier Zune flash units. Two models are available, 16GB and 32GB flash units, in five colors.

Rich artist information: Zune HD will automatically grab album art but also extra material like biographies and related artist information when synced to a PC, even if the songs came from somewhere besides the Zune music store. This information will be viewable on the device while playing back media.

Codec support: All the bases are covered here. The Zune HD can handle WMA, AAC, and MP3 audio along with H.264, MPEG-4, and WMV video, along with (hugely) limited support for DVR-MS files from the company's own Windows Media Center DVR. When provided with the right connectors (sold separately), it can output some HD video over HDMI.

Wireless: Still present, and the Zune HD is still capable of syncing its media wirelessly with a PC. Like Zunes before it, the Zune HD can also stream music directly from the Zune music store for those with an unlimited monthly music pass. 802.11b/g are supported, but not 802.11n.

"Hello from Seattle": Yup. It's written on the left side of the device in tiny, totally lowercase gray text.

The headphone jack: It's on the bottom.

We'll be bringing you our complete Zune review later this evening. If you have any questions you'd like answered, leave a comment and we'll do our best to oblige.

How usable is the OLED screen in sunlight, especially compared to products with transflective LCDs? (iphone/ipod touch).What is the size comparison vs. an iPod touch. You compared the size against every single device that it isn't directly competing against...What kind of apps are available at launch? Is there anything like Pandora/last.fm/etc? Can they play in the background?What are your impressions of the quality of the web browser? How does it perform on complex pages (especially the popular iphone/android web apps: google apps, flickr, etc).

I'm dying to know how Tegra performs. On every other Zune there's been some hesitation bringing up certain menus, particularly with music playing or after some idle time (especially hard drive models). Please throw everything you can at it and let us know if it stutters! Thanks!

At that size, I have one concern: Battery life. OLED screens aren't all that frugal (at least yet), and if it's in a size similar to a Nano with a that big screen, I have to wonder. The 12 hours my old iPod 4G had must be considered an absolute minimum. Given the discrepancy between MS reported battery life and the real world numbers for older Zunes, I'd like to see this tested.

Ah, why do I care, they don't sell it here anyway. I'm in the market for a new media player, though, and it's interesting to see where the market goes.

How does it handle landscape mode when the top side becomes the left side (when rotated counter-clockwise) and there is no real unused border to hold the device on the left? Am I going to be blocking a portion of the left part of the screen to use it...??? ???

It's just a new section in the Zune software, which has been around for years.

Nate:

1. Is it too large or awkward for running?2. Is there a hardware touchscreen control lockout and inline controls available on the headset?3. Have they added new options to control which music will sync with it in the Zune software now that they have reduced storage capacity?4. Was that a typo? No third party software at all?

The site Zune.net has been update and allows full browsing and previewing of movies, music and podcasts plus has a pop-put player. Yet when you click to download a song, it tries to launch the Zune desktop software. I wonder what that's for. Are they looking to allow the Zune desktop software to sync with their web client (a la lala.com)? And if so, then why the heck wouldn't they allow you to just purchase songs from the web site also?

I knew they were behind but this is ridiculous. That's cutting things way too close, particularly for a company whose supposed to be experts on the software side.

This has all the markings of a bug-filled disaster. It's Vista all over again.

I can't tell if you're joking, trolling, or just don't understand. The firmware trick is so that they could ship the devices before turning on the new store and uploading the new software. That way even retail leaks won't result in people using the device in ways unexpected or causing problems. It has nothing to do with the firmware being ready. Geez.

What does the article mean by no third-party app ecosystem? After all that talk yesterday of Zune gaming. Does it just mean that anyone making a Zune app will have to go through Microsoft approval to get on the store, kind of like how Apple does it or does it mean that Microsoft will be the only one writing apps for the Zune?

And how is the web experience? I admit I don't have much experience with Mobile IE6, but anything associated with IE6 seems to have bad connotations and even Microsoft is actively interested in moving users away from IE6, so it's interesting that the IE6 engine ends up being the brand new feature in portable devices.

Originally posted by pbrice68:How does it handle landscape mode when the top side becomes the left side (when rotated counter-clockwise) and there is no real unused border to hold the device on the left? Am I going to be blocking a portion of the left part of the screen to use it...??? ???

You think that's bad?? If I turn it so the top side becomes the right side, then there's no real unused border on the right! Am I going to be blocking a portion of the right part of the screen whenever I use it? Or if I use it as in the picture, I can't see the top of the screen . . . there's no border to hold onto at the top! How can Microsoft release such a flawed product...??? ???

Also, can someone help me dial my cell phone? I pick it up to use it, but my fingers always block some of the number pad, and I need to be able to press those buttons for this one number.

As we work to bring you the next level of Zune entertainment, we want to inform you the Zune service will be down starting at 11:00 am (PDT) September 14th until the early hours of September 15th. During this time you will not be able to sign into Zune.net, Zune forums, or Zune Marketplace. We're sorry for this inconvenience, but come back to www.zune.net on September 15th and get ready to experience a whole new world of Zune.

You'll receive an e-mail update on 9/15 when the new service goes live, giving you the highlights of the new Zune update.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Zune

I haven't gotten the notice yet and don't seem to have any updates yet, so assume the process is not yet complete.

I can't tell if you're joking, trolling, or just don't understand. The firmware trick is so that they could ship the devices before turning on the new store and uploading the new software. That way even retail leaks won't result in people using the device in ways unexpected or causing problems. It has nothing to do with the firmware being ready. Geez.

I'm sorry, but that's not how software development works.

That is a convoluted, ass-backwards solution to a very pedestrian problem. Your rationale is pure fantasy.

Only disappointment is lack of DivX/Xvid/MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile and FLAC. I can do without FLAC support because WMA Lossless is quite decent but most rips are DivX/Xvid and very few are H.264. And it needs to support .MPEG/.MPG and .AVI container formats (only for DivX/Xvid+MP3/AAC again) as well. Too bad MS didn't get it this last time too. I'm happy with my Cowon A3.

I can't tell if you're joking, trolling, or just don't understand. The firmware trick is so that they could ship the devices before turning on the new store and uploading the new software. That way even retail leaks won't result in people using the device in ways unexpected or causing problems. It has nothing to do with the firmware being ready. Geez.

I'm sorry, but that's not how software development works.

That is a convoluted, ass-backwards solution to a very pedestrian problem. Your rationale is pure fantasy.

I find his rationale to be quite logical, actually.

Hey Ars, can we get a complete list of supported media formats in your review? Thanks!